Thursday, February 26, 2009

An Arkansas state Senate panel on Wednesday rejected a bill that would allow concealed handguns in churches. But they didn't do it for what might be the common sense reason, meaning "why does someone need to carry a concealed weapon into a church," but rather after opponents complained that allowing firearms defies the notion that religious buildings are sanctuaries.

The bill had been passed Feb. 11 by the Arkansas House of Representatives by a vote of 57-42. But it failed by voice vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The only locations banned from allowing "concealed carry" in Arkansas are churches and bars.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, told the panel after the vote that she may try again with the proposal. She added,

"This is not a gun question, it is a question of religious freedom."

What?

After all, Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, disagreed. "I don't know of any church where the carrying of guns is a sacred belief intrinsic to the doctrine of that church, like the holding of communion might be."

Religious freedom. Give me a break.

That is an excellent point. Is there a Cathedral of the Holy Firearm around somewhere that I am not aware of?